The Marsala Shipwrecks Project focuses on the study of the archaeological findings of two shipwrecks excavated in Marsala, from 1983 to 1986, by the “Soprintendenza Archeologica” of Trapani. The archaeological underwater site is located in western Sicily, near Mazara del Vallo (TP), in a harbour often quoted by written medieval sources. This harbour, together with the Palermo one, played in the middle age an important role in the economic exchanges.

The two ships, the so-called “Relitto A” and “Relitto B”, were dated by a preliminary study to the 11th/first half of 12th centuries. The team directed by Fabiola Ardizzone, will study the materials recovered in these two wrecks: the Relitto A with a cargo of amphorae produced in Palermo and directed to North Africa; the Relitto B, perhaps a little older, with the only the pottery part of the kit board.

After the premature death of Prof. Fabiola Ardizzone, the project has been completed by Filippo Pisciotta (Université Aix Marseille) and Viva Sacco (UMR 8167 Orient & Méditerranée)